Bob Barker
Robert William "Bob" Barker (born December 12, 1923 in Darrington, Washington) is an American former television game show host. He is best known for hosting CBS' The Price is Right from 1972-2007, making it the longest-running game show in North American television history. He also hosted Truth or Consequences from 1956-1974. Barker enlisted in the United States Navy on the outbreak of World War II. He also worked part-time in radio while attending college and after moving to California to pursue a career in broadcasting, he hosted his own radio show for 6 years out of Burbank. His Game Show career began on New Years Eve 1956, when he began hosting Truth or Consequences and continued on until 1974. Bob has also hosted a handful of other game shows that were short-lived including End of the Rainbow (1957-1958), The Family Game (1967) and Simon Says (1971). But his biggest game show hosted came on September 4, 1972, when he began hosting the Daytime version The (New) Price is Right (Dennis James hosted the Syndicated, Nighttime version until 1977). Barker became far more associated with the series than the original host Bill Cullen (1956-1965). On October 15, 1987, Barker did what other game show hosts almost never did: renounced hair dye, allowing his hair to turn gray and eventually white. In addition to his hosting duties, Bob also became executive producer of The Price is Right, following the death of Frank Wayne, the original producer of the show. In this capacity, Barker has created several pricing games, instituted a prohibition of foreign car and animal-based products and launched the primetime series of specials known as The Price is Right $1,000,000 Spectacular (first one aired in 2003). Barker was a longtime host of the Miss USA/Universe pageants (from 1967-1987), however in 1987, Barker requested the removal of Fur Coats as prizes but the Miss USA committee refused to do so and Barker decided to stepped down from his hosting duties of the Miss USA/Universe pageants. Bob is a longtime activist of Animal Rights and ended each show with the phrase "Help Control the Pet Population, Have your Pet Spayed or Neutered". On the 5000th episode of The Price is Right, Studio 33 was renamed "The Bob Barker Studio" in Bob's honor. He has won 19 Daytime Emmys (fourteen for Outstanding Game Show Host, four for Executive Producer) and is a proud recipient of the Lifetime Achievement Award. He was also inducted into the Academy of Television Arts & Sciences Hall of Fame in 2004. After 35 years of hosting The Price is Right, Barker stepped down from his hosting duties as his last episode aired on June 15, 2007 and after 50 years in Television and Broadcasting, Barker went into retirement. Barker has dedicated his long-standing career to his late wife, Dorothy Jo Giedon (who died in October 1981). He has made a return visit to The Price is Right twice, the first time was in April 2009 when he promoted his memoir Priceless Memories and the second time was in December 2013 when the show celebrated his 90th Birthday and the entire week of shows were dubbed Pet Adoption Week. Bob recently made a cameo guest appearance on the soap The Bold and The Beautiful (he previously appeared on the show back in 2002 alongside then-current models Nikki Ziering and Claudia Jordan). He has also made cameo appearances on various shows including The Nanny, How I Met Your Mother, and The Late Late Show with Craig Ferguson. But his most famous cameo was in the 1996 movie Happy Gilmore alongside Adam Sandler (who has made guest appearances on The Price is Right, in 1996 and again in 2007 on Bob's 50 Years Primetime Special) in the most famous scene where the two get into an altercation on the Golf Course during a Pro-Am Golf Tournament as the scene ends with Barker getting the last word: "NOW you've had enough...B***H !" as he exits the golf course. Category:Hosts Category:People